71

Let's be real: There would have been an audible gasp at Alexander Wang's spring '13 runway show, even had there not been a glow-in-the-dark surprise at the end. But there was — making the human buzz from inside the Pier all the more moths-to-a-flame-like. Yes, after the parade of white-and-black came to a halt, the lights went off and then the clothes lit up in fluorescent blues and yellows — a move only Alex Wang could make cool and not kitschy. Still, he didn't need the gimmick to make the show a success.

The collection featured sweaters, shorts, and dresses with perforations in all the right places, which might be a little unflattering on the average woman but looked incredible on its cast of models. There were moments of clean (let's say sterile, even), white hospital-ish looks, and then a series of luxe athletic wear — large shoulder pads, wide-cut shorts, topped off with a futuristic baseball cap/helmet combo. But don't worry; since it's Alex Wang, even the most casual threads were accompanied by killer, thigh-high boots (and aggressive stares from the seasoned models to match).